Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

Upon hearing the voice, Irisviel looked up in surprise, and when she saw the boy in the café, she was momentarily stunned.

Without even thinking twice, he immediately summoned Merlin using a special contract magic.

……

at the same time.

As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, and even other customers in the coffee shop began to glance at him intentionally or unintentionally, Tohsaka Yu felt like he had two heads to crack.

"Please calm down..."

Yu Tohsaka spoke tactfully, trying to squeeze between the two women with overwhelming presences, forcing a smile, "This is a public place after all, so if there's anything to say... why don't we sit down, have a cup of coffee, and talk it out slowly... I think there must be some misunderstanding between you two..."

So you guys can't possibly start fighting, right?

Keep in mind, it's broad daylight, and shopping malls have a lot of foot traffic... I think they should know what they're doing.

As Yu Tohsaka spoke, he carefully observed the expressions of the two people.

Sajō Aika was still glaring at Morgan, but it seemed that the almost out-of-control magical fluctuations subsided slightly because of Tohsaka Yu's words.

Morgan watched him with great interest, as if enjoying his predicament of being caught in a dilemma.

“A misunderstanding?” Morgan chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Caster, do you think this is a ‘misunderstanding’? I think Miss Satori’s ‘obsession’ with you is much deeper than you imagine.”

“He’s not obsessed with anything.”

Sajō Aika glanced at Morgan briefly, then looked at Ryū Tohsaka and said softly, "Yū-kun, you wouldn't choose her, would you?"

“I…” Tohsaka Yu felt cold sweat breaking out on her brow.

"Anyway, let's sit down and talk first."

Yu Tohsaka took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm. He turned to Morgan and said, "Princess Morgan, you probably don't want to cause any unnecessary commotion in a place like this, do you?"

He tried to remind the two people to be mindful of the occasion in the most tactful way possible.

After all, if they really started fighting here, not only this coffee shop, but the entire mall would probably suffer.

Sajō Aika and Morgan exchanged a glance. After a moment, Sajō Aika snorted and took the lead in sitting down in the empty seat opposite Morgan, but her emerald green eyes remained fixed on Tohsaka Yu and Morgan.

Seeing this, Morgan shrugged indifferently, pulled Yu Tohsaka to sit down next to him, and even deliberately leaned closer to him in an intimate manner, as if silently declaring his ownership.

Yu Tohsaka felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He could clearly feel the icy gaze that seemed to pierce through him, directed at Ayaka Sajou across from him, and the slightly mocking and playful look in Morgan's eyes beside him.

"Waiter, another iced cola, and... a strawberry cake, please."

Yu Tohsaka tried to liven things up by waving to a waiter.

He remembered that Aika Sajou seemed to have a sweet tooth, and perhaps a delicious cake could ease her dangerous mood a little.

However, in the presence of two women with different thoughts, neither desserts nor words seem so pale and powerless.

The atmosphere inside the café remained as tense as a violin string about to snap.

Although Aika Sajou and Morgan did not directly argue anymore, the silent exchange of glances between them, as well as the almost solidified magical fluctuations in the air, made Yu Tohsaka feel a sense of unease.

He just hopes that these two won't flip the table at the slightest disagreement.

Just as Yu Tohsaka was racking his brains trying to figure out how to break the deadlock, or rather, how to safely escape from this chaotic situation—

"Squeak-"

The coffee shop door was pushed open from the outside, and a cheerful and familiar voice rang out: "Oh my, I've finally found you, Tohsaka-kun. I thought something had happened to you. I'm so glad to see you."

"On another note, what are you doing in a place like this in broad daylight—"

Merlin wore his signature gentle smile as he spoke, raising his head and habitually scanning the café for Yu Tohsaka.

However, when his gaze accurately landed on Tohsaka Yu, and... sitting on either side of Tohsaka Yu, facing off with an extremely subtle gaze, Merlin's smile and his relaxed and cheerful tone froze in that instant.

"Princess Morgan... Miss Satiao...?"

After a brief moment of bewilderment, Merlin looked at Tohsaka Yu with disbelief in his eyes.

Although he had never experienced this before, Merlin, being an old fox, naturally saw through the situation at a glance.

He coughed lightly and said, "Tohsaka-kun, I need to talk to you about something—"

Upon hearing this, Tohsaka Yu immediately smiled and was about to step forward.

However, at that moment, two voices spoke almost simultaneously: "Try touching him!"

"Merlin, this is none of your business. Get out," Morgan said coldly.

Sajō Aika gave Merlin a cold look as well: "This is between me and Caster, it's none of your business."

"You actually threatened me..." Merlin frowned slightly. "Fine, I'll get out!"

After saying that, he gave Tohsaka Yu a helpless look and turned to leave.

However, Tohsaka Yu warmly pulled him aside and said with a smile, "Since you're already here, let's sit down and rest for a while."

Without further ado, he pulled Merlin to sit down.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the coffee shop seemed even more eerie than before.

"Um... I... should I just go outside?"

Merlin's smile was somewhat stiff. He had lived for so long and had seen his fair share of chaotic situations, but being stared at by the Root Princess and the Fairy Queen with those "you dare touch him and see what happens" looks made even the Flower Magician feel a chill run down his spine.

However, neither Aika Sajou nor Morgan were in the mood to pay attention to this uninvited "audience" at this moment.

"Um... ladies, could you please hear me out?"

However, considering the issue of 'human reason', Merlin finally forced a smile and tried to divert the two people's attention from Tohsaka Yu: "Although I don't know what kind of complicated emotional entanglement has occurred between Yu-kun and the two of you, it seems that we have more important and urgent matters to deal with now."

Seeing that the two remained unmoved, Merlin paused, his tone becoming serious: "Since the great battle at Ryudou Temple last night, the Greater Grail... has been missing."

These words caused the previously tense atmosphere to pause slightly.

A flicker of surprise crossed Morgan's icy blue eyes. She subtly frowned, seemingly taken aback by the news: "The Greater Grail is missing? How is that possible?"

Kama's spiritual core is the corrupted Holy Grail.

Logically, after Kama was defeated by Tiamat and his spirit origin dissipated, the Greater Grail, as its core, should have reappeared and returned to the node of the spiritual vein at Ryudou Temple.

How could it... just suddenly disappear?

Thinking of this, Morgan glanced at Merlin casually: "Do you have any leads? About the disappearance of the Greater Grail?"

……

Sunlight streamed through the villa's glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the soft carpeted floor.

Sakura Tohsaka curled up on the sofa by the window, hugging a soft cushion, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she stared at the courtyard outside the window, bathed in golden sunlight.

Since being rescued from the cold and terrifying Matou family by Tohsaka Yu not long ago and returned to Rin's side, the girl has been in a daze.

Joy, peace of mind, and... a hint of indescribable uncertainty and unease about the future—all these emotions intertwined in her heart, making it difficult for her to find peace.

"Sakura, what's wrong with you?"

A clear and melodious voice came from behind her, interrupting her thoughts.

Rin Tohsaka walked over with a cup of hot milk and sat down next to her. Her bright, sapphire-like eyes held a hint of concern and confusion: "You've been looking so absent-minded ever since that night. Are you feeling unwell?"

Sakura Tohsaka snapped out of her daze and felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at the caring expression on her sister's face.

She took the milk, shook her head gently, and gave a somewhat forced smile: "It's nothing, I'm just a little unaccustomed to it yet."

"Anyone would be a little scared after what happened." Rin Tohsaka gently patted her shoulder, her tone softening. "But it's all over now. With your brother and me here... we won't let anyone bully you again."

"It seems that Father has also decided not to send you to the Matou family again."

Sakura Tohsaka's eyes were deep and unfathomable, seemingly devoid of any emotion towards the title of 'father'.

The two sisters sat quietly for a while. Sakura Tohsaka slowly raised her head, her black eyes, which always carried a hint of timidity, now looked at her older sister with unusual seriousness.

"Sister...do you like brother?"

Rin Tohsaka was about to take a sip of her milk when she heard the question. Her movements suddenly froze, and she almost spilled the milk.

She looked at her younger sister with some surprise, seemingly not understanding why she would suddenly ask such a question: "Sakura, what nonsense are you talking about? Of course... of course I like him... after all, he's my brother!"

Seeing her sister's somewhat flustered expression, Sakura Tohsaka gave a gentle smile.

She asked softly, "When my sister grows up... will she try to take my brother away from me?"

Volume 1: Chapter 63 The Eighth Master?

There seemed to be a brief silence in the café.

Morgan's icy blue eyes narrowed slightly. He put down his coffee cup, and his previously languid posture on the sofa became more subdued. His tone carried a hint of Ruler's authority.

"Merlin, explain yourself clearly."

“I sensed the commotion at Ryudou Temple last night. Kama descended with the black mud of the Greater Grail as her core, and after she was defeated, the Grail should have returned to its original place... How could the Greater Grail be missing?”

Merlin's smile faded slightly, replaced by a solemn expression: "That's what I also want to know. When I arrived deep inside Ryudou Temple to check the situation, there were signs of severe damage from the battle, but the Greater Grail itself, along with its core 'All Evil of This World,' had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, his voice low and deep: "If a corrupted Holy Grail containing immense magical power falls into the hands of some malicious individuals, or goes completely out of control in some unknown place... it could very well lead to a great disaster."

"Oh? That sounds more interesting than the Holy Grail War itself."

A strange light flashed in Aika Sajou's emerald green eyes. She didn't seem to care much about the word "disaster," but rather seemed to be looking forward to some new "game" unfolding.

She reached out her small hand and gently tugged at Tohsaka Yu's sleeve, tilting her delicate face up and asking innocently, "Yu-kun, if that 'Greater Grail' is really that dangerous, would you try to stop it? Just like you protected Tiamat in Uruk?"

Upon hearing this, Tohsaka Yu's heart sank.

He certainly understood the gravity of the disappearance of the Greater Grail, especially since it contained "all the evil of this world," and the consequences would be unimaginable if it were detonated.

"Aige, now is not the time to talk about this."

Yu Tohsaka calmly soothed the girl's emotions, then turned to Merlin, his brow furrowed: "Merlin, with your clairvoyance, haven't you noticed any clues? For example... who took the Greater Grail?"

Merlin shrugged helplessly: "I'm sorry, Tohsaka-kun. The magical energy flow at Ryudouji Temple last night was too chaotic, and I was only a Servant, summoned as a Saber, so my observation was greatly limited. I can only roughly confirm that after the great battle ended and Kama's spirit origin dissipated, an extremely subtle force intervened silently and took away the core of the Greater Grail."

"As for the source of that power... I have no clue yet," Merlin sighed.

Morgan's icy blue eyes gleamed with contemplation: "To be able to steal the Greater Grail from everyone under those circumstances without a trace... it seems this Holy Grail War is truly full of hidden talents."

Although her tone remained calm, Yuu Tohsaka could sense that the fairy queen had also developed a sense of wariness and...interest in this unknown "third-party force."

"That is to say,"

Yu Tohsaka looked at Merlin and said in a deep voice, "Now, in addition to the various Servants, we also need to be wary of a mysterious third party who may have mastered 'all the evil in this world'?"

"That's understandable."

Merlin nodded, his expression returning to its usual gentleness: "Moreover, this 'third party' was able to accurately steal the Greater Grail amidst such chaos, so both their strength and intellect must be extraordinary. In fact... I suspect that they may have a far greater understanding of the rules of the Holy Grail War and the true nature of the Greater Grail than we imagine."

"Could it be... someone from the Einzbern family?" Yu Tohsaka subconsciously considered this possibility.

After all, the Einzbern family has been obsessed with the Holy Grail for a thousand years, and their understanding of the Greater Grail, as well as any possible hidden plans, are all unknowns.

"The most urgent task is to find the whereabouts of the Greater Grail."

Morgan's cold voice rang out, her icy blue eyes sweeping over the white-haired mage: "Merlin, as Irisviel's Servant, is there anything unusual at Einzbern Castle? Or rather, does your Master have any particular opinion on the disappearance of the Greater Grail?"

She had clearly used Ruler's privileges to understand the master-servant relationship between Merlin and Irisviel.

Merlin gave a somewhat helpless smile upon hearing this: "Princess Morgan, you're putting me in a difficult position. Although Master has a special status, it's impossible for someone of the Greater Grail's level to completely control her. As for Einzbern Castle... apart from being 'visited' by Miss Sajou once, there haven't been any other anomalies for the time being."

"but……"

He paused, a sly glint in his purple eyes: "If we're talking about who's most likely to know the whereabouts of the Greater Grail, or who has the most 'motive' to get their hands on that power... I do have a little guess."

"Oh?" Morgan and Yu Tohsaka both turned their gazes to him at the same time.

Merlin slowly picked up his coffee, which had long since gone cold, took a sip with feigned mystery, and then said slowly, "Last night at Ryudou Temple, besides the forces we know of, it seems... there was another 'guest' who remained hidden in the deepest darkness from beginning to end. Even you, Ruler, probably couldn't fully discern their whereabouts, could you?"

Morgan looked coldly at Merlin, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible danger: "You mean to say that besides the servants and masters, there were 'guests' at Ryudou Temple last night that I failed to detect?"

As the Ruler of this Holy Grail War, responsible for overseeing the entire ritual, the fact that there are beings operating right under her nose without being fully detected is undoubtedly a provocation to her abilities.

"Oh dear, Princess Morgan, please don't misunderstand."

Merlin quickly waved his hand, but his smile carried a hint of mystery. "It's not that you've neglected your duty, it's just that the 'guest's' methods of concealment were too brilliant, and... he seemed to have an extraordinary familiarity with the terrain of Ryudou Temple and the characteristics of the Greater Grail."

"Who is it?" Yu Tohsaka immediately asked.

A hint of curiosity also flashed in Ayaka Sajou's emerald green eyes. For Merlin to use such a term as "skillful" to describe her, she must be no ordinary person.

Merlin glanced at the three of them before speaking slowly, his voice carrying a unique, aria-like tone: "Strictly speaking, that guest wasn't a formal participant in this Holy Grail War. But his obsession with the Holy Grail, and his 'understanding' of this land... probably far surpasses that of most Masters."